Improvement in machine for drying- and finishing- tubttlah knitted fabkigs



' reetions in which the NELSON?. AKIN, or PHiLMoNT, NEW YORK.

' Laim Patenrzvo. 87,317, dated Mami 2,1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINE FOR DRYIN AND FINISHING TUBULAR KNITTED FABRICS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

.To all whom it may concern:`

Be it known that I, NELSON I. ARIN, of' Philmont, in the county of Columbia, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'm Machinery orI Apparatus for Drying or Finishing Long Pieces of Washed Tubular-Knit Fabrics, of which the following contains a suiiicie-nt description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a plan, and

Figure 2, a sectional elevation of a portion of 4one form of apparatus which may be used in drying and finishing tubular-knit fabrics, according to my invention. v

Like parts are marked by the same letters in both figures, and the arrows therein are indicative of the dicontiguous parts move, or are movable in use.

Tubular-knit fabrics have been heretofore dried progressively, from one end to the other, after they had been washed in the ion g pieces in which they were knit, by blowing artifcially-heated air from the inside, outward, laterally, through the porcs of successive portions of the tubular web, as the `latter was gradually drawn ot', around the open end of a hollow web-support, through'which the heated air was forced, by machinery, into the in'side oi' the tubular fabric. But that mode requires the use of air-blowing machinery, and much mechanical force, to blow the heated air into and ont through the pores ofthe tubular web, and necessitates the waste of much heat which is retained and 'carried ofi by the air, afterpassing out through the pores ofthe tubular fabric, and which highly overheat-s the room or apartment-in which the drying-operation is performed, and makes it very disagreeable and unhealthy for persons attending the drying-process; and the blowing of air from the inside, outward, through the pores of the tubular web, forces the loose ends of the fibres, knots, and burrs of the fabric, outward, so that they project further, and give a harsher and rougher appearance and feeling to the outer surface of the tubular web, and consequently oft/en lessen the value of the fabric for making into merchantable articles of wearing-apparel.

By passing a long, wet, or damp piece of washed tubular-knit goods endwise, in a flattened form, transversely across, between, or partly around, and in contact with hollow metallic cylinders, heated internally by steam, the two thicknesses of the fabric will be dried together, progressively, from end to end, very slowly and unevenly, and will leave a considerable portion ofthe steam-heated cylinders uncovered, so that much heat will be radiated and wasted therefrom during thc drying-process; and the inner surfaces of the fiattened tubular web will be liable to stick together and be. fibrous, and rough, when separated, or without the smooth tinish commonly desired on such kuit fabrics,

To dry a long, wet, or damp piece of washed tubularknit goods, by drawing it like a sleeve up'on a steamheated pipe or cylinder, as long as the tubular fabric, and there letting it stay until dried, the apparatus would be very unhandy andexpeusive to use, and the fabric would be liable to be very unevenly and excessively stretched in different parts, iu drawing it on and oli' the pipe or cylinder, and, at the end of the process, would not have tlie nice, even finish which is desirable on such tubular-knit goods.

N ow, the primary object of my invention is to dry or finish long, wet, or damp pieces of washed tubularknit goods, at a generally less expense, or more nicely,

Without any of their aforesaid obj ectional consequences; and the distinguishing feature of onepart of my invention is the drying or finishing of a long, wet, or damp piece of tubular-knitfabric, by drawing it progressively from end to end, closelyover, along, and from a comparatively short, artificially-heated corc, of suitable size and finish, supported within and independently of the tubular web, without blowing air from the inside, outward, through the pores of the tubular fabric.

1u carrying out this part of my invention, I make the core of copper, or other suitable material, and of a cylindrical, or other proper form, and commonly `with a smooth surface, next to the tubular web, and of such size that the elastic tubular fabric shall lit closely around the core while being drawn olf; and I support the core at only one end by au arm, or other suitable device, upon which the tubular fabric is placed, and from thence gradually drawn oif over the heated core, either directly by hand, or by means of machinery; and I heat the core within the tubular web in any suitable Inanner, for example, by burning hydrocarbon-gases, vapors, or liquids, properly supplied with air inside of the core, or by circulating, within the core, any suitable heated fluid or liquid, or, preferably, by admitting steam into the core, and discharging therefrom the water which results from the condensation of thc admitted steam.

In thc aforesaid drawingg A represents a closed hollow core, supported by a fixed arm or bar, B, at onel end only, within a long tubular-knit fabric, C, shown by red lines.

I) is a pipe, with a stop-cock, E, for admitting steam into the core, from any suitablegenerator, and

F isa pipe, with a valve, G, for discharging the water of condensation from the core.

The long, wet, or damp piece of tubular-knit fabric will be dried, and simultaneously smoothed on its iuner surface, progressively, from end to end, by gradually drawing the tubular web from the web-holder B, over, along, and from the drying and smoothing-core A, directly by hand, without using any draw-ot` mechamsm.)

But', for the purpose of drying, and simultaneously smoothing the inner surface of long tubular-knit fabrics, progressively, from end to end, and also deliverin or winding up the dried and'internallv-smoothed tubu than by either ofthe above-mentioned processes, andv lar web in a flat form,all at a continuous operation, I combine, with the above-described combined webholder 13, and drying and smoothing-core\A, draw-off rollers H I, or their substantial known equivalent, essentially as represented in the aforesaid drawingfin which H is a rough roller, turning in fixed bearings, and

I, a movable roller, incumbent on the other.`

"For the purpose of drying and smoothing the inner surface of long tubular-knit fabrics progressively, from end to end, and also delivering or winding up t-lie dried and internally-smoothed tubular web in a dat form, oi uniform, or nearly uniform width, all at one continuous operation, even though the -tubular fabric to be dried shall be knit loose or tight, or be more or less expansible in diiferent portions of its length, I combine, with the -a-bove-described combined web holder B, drying and smoothing-coro A, and draw-oi rollers H I, or their equivalent, the lat internal web-gauge J, or its equivalent, arranged between the 'core and rollers, and just in front of the latter, essentially as represented in 'the drawing.

The drying-core A may be ext-ended in a flat form in the place of, and as an equivalent for the internal wehfange J.

I combine the webdiolder lB with the drying and smoothing-core A, of larger circumference than the web-holder, substantially as shown in the drawing,'ibr the purpose of expanding the tubular-kuit fabric laterally, so as to open its pores, and facilitate the evaporation of water or moisture therefrom, at the rery place where the tubular web is being dried and ii-oued, or smoothed on its inner surface, and so as to insure the drying and the smoothing of the inner surface of the tubular web, while .thefabrio is in a laterally expanded condition, by simply drawing the wet or damp tubular web from the web-holder, over, along, and from the drying and smoothing-core.

For the purpose of producing longitudinal tension on the tubular-lont fabric, all around the drying and smoothing-core i as the tubular web is drawn along the core from the web-holder B, I arrange a flexible or elastic round ring, L, in combination with the core and web-holder, and in rear of an annulaizpioiection, M, on the webholder or core, and near the supported end of thc latter, so that as the tubular fabric shall be drawn along, outside of that projection, and inside of the ring L, the latter' Will be retained in its place, and will roll over and over, and produce a very even tension on the tubular web, with very little friction on the latter.

The tension-ring L inay consist of a spiral wire spring, having its ends fastened together, or of an endless round band or tube, of India rubber or other snitble material, snciently flexible.

I am aware that a flat, internal \vcb-gauge and drawoif rollers have been heretoibre used together, to draw off and deliver, or wind up in a flat form, of uniform, or nearly uniform width, tubular-knit fabrics, from circular-knitting machines, and from a hollow projecting web-holder,open at both ends, and through which heated air was blown in at one end and out at the other, directly into the inside of the tubular web, as the latter was gradually drawn oi from such web-holder; and steam has been admitted iut-o, and its water ot condensation discharged from a hollow drying-cylinder, through an inlet and outlet-passage or passages, at one and the same end only of'tlie cylinder; and I do` not claim any of those devices or combinations of devices.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A hollow projecting close-surfaced core, with a closed end, heat-cd internally, and over and from which the tubular fabric to be dried is drawn, substantially as set forth.

Also, the combination of the holder B, for the long' tubular \veb,with the closed, hollow, drying and smooth-` ing-core A, supported, and also provided with an inlet and outlet-passage or passages, D F, at one and the same end only, substantially as and for the purposel herein set forth.

Also, the combination of the web-holder B, hollow drying and smoothing-core A, supported and provided with au inlet and outlet-passage or passages,at one end only, and drawing-ofi' rollers H I, or their equivalent,- .substantially as ano for the purpose described.

IAlso, the combination of the web-holder, hollow drying and smoothing-core, supported and furnished `with an inlet and outlet-passage or passages, at one end only, ilat internal web-gauge J, or its equivalent, and drawing-ofil rollers, substantialb' as and for the purpose described.

Also, the combination of the projecting web-holder B with the-drying and smoothing-core, of larger circumference than the said web-holder, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

Also, the arrangement of the tlexible or elastic rotary ring L, in combination with the combined webholder and drying-core, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand, this Jth day of May, 1868.

, NELSON P. AKIN Witnesses:

LnsLiE SMYTH, AUSTIN F. PARK. 

